Engine starting mechanism



March 13, 1934. R, M NARDONE Y1,951,032

ENGINE STARTING MECHANI SM A44 rl mms?" March 13, 1934. R.' M. NARDONE ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM A2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 30, 1931 q. Nw EN, WM. .n I c 0 K a Patented' Msi. 13, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ENGINEA STARTING MECHANISM Romeo M. Nardone, East Orange, N. J., assignor,

by mesne assignments, to Eclipse Aviation Corporation, East Orange, N. J., a corporation' oi' New Jersey Application November 30, 1931, Serial No. 578,163

7 Claims. (Cl. 121-37) This invention relates to starting' devices for internal combustion engines.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an engine starter of the rotation producing type embodying novel means for producing engagement with and rotation of a member of the engine to be started.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel starting mechanism of the type employing a plurality of power actuated members on of which operates to produce engagement between the starting mechanism and a member of the engine to be started, and another of which op` crates to impart a cranking torque to the engineengaging member. y

Other objects and advantages to be derived from theuse of the invention reside in the specific construction, combination and inter-rela- 2'5 tion of parts whereby a compact, efficient and easily operated and maintained unit is produced, all of which objects and advantages will appear more4 clearly upon an inspection of the following speciilcation, with reference to the accom- 0 panying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention. It is to be expressly understood however that the said drawings are for -the purpose of illustration only and are ,not

- r to be construed as a definition of the limits of 3* the invention, reference being had to the ap-V pended claims for this purpose.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like referencecharacters refer to like parts throughout th several views:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal axial sectionthrough a device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a view at right angles to the viewpoint of Fig. 1. the view being taken along the une s-a of Fig.. l.

Fig. 4 is, similar to Fig. 1 but showing the device in a partly operated position.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly'to y Fig. 1, the invention is shown embodied in a substantially cylindrical self-contained unit, the casing of which is composed of aplurality of interlocked casing sections, the first'section 5 being r provided with a. flange 6 having apertures 'il 5 through which may be mserted suitable fastening means engaging a corresponding flange s on the engine crankcase. At its outer end, the section 5 is formed to provide a suitable surface for reception of the intermediate section 10, the said section l0 being secured to the section 5 by suitable means 12. The outer end of section 10 is threaded, as indicated at 13,` for reception of the correspondingly threaded end portion 14 of the outer casing section 15, the latter being integral with a head 16.

In order to seal the starting mechanism against l entry of oil from the crankcase 8, a baille member 27 having a combined cylindrical and irustoconical shape is provided between the crankcase .8 and the engine engaging member 25. As shown this baille member 27 has an outwardly directed flange 28 adapted to be held in place between the flanges 6 and 8 by the fastening means passing through the apertures 7 and is further provided with an inwardly directed rim or flange 29. the inner circular edge of which is turned to point outwardly, thus forming a semi-circular concave ledge or lip 30.

The novel power actuated mechanism for moving the engine engaging member 25 into oper- Gil ative position and thereafter cranking the engine, comprises a piston 37 fitting the interior cylindrical surface of the casing section .15 and preferablylprovided with piston rings 38 insuring fluid tight registry with said surface. As shown the piston has a centrally disposed extension or hub 39. the bore of which is threaded, as indicated at 40, for cooperation with a correspondingly externally threaded-shaft 42, the latter yalso having acentral bore 43, said central bore being adapted to receive a bearing sleeve 44 facilitating relative rotation between screw shaft 43 and the elongated hub 45 of the engine engaging member 25. The shaft 42 ares outwardly to form a gear, to be further described,

the outwardly extending portion forming an annular ledge 46 adapted to receive a grooved washer 47 constituting an abutment for a coiled compression spring 48, the opposite end of which abuts a thrust bearing l50 engaging a hub portion 51 of the piston extension 39. The coil spring 48 thus serves to normally maintain the piston 3'7 in the'position shown in Fig. 1, from which position it is adapted to be moved in response to admission of pressure fluid in the manner to be described.

The means for holding the piston 3'? from rotation and thus causing positive rotation of the screw shaft 42 in response to axial motion of the piston,l preferably comprises a plurality of piston 37, sleeve 39 and skirt 56 may move forward as a unit along the inner surface of the casing 15, but cannot rotate relatively thereto.

Theynovel means for producing rst, an axial movement of the engine engaging member 25,

and thereafter a rotary movement thereof in response to the rotation of screw shaft 42, comprises an annular gear 65 which as above noted, is preferably integral with screw shaft 42, and adapted to mesh with a plurality of (as shown three) idler gears 69, the latter being mounted on shafts 70 held in position in bored holes in the housing section 5, shaft 70 having shoulders 71 to prevent them from inward movement. The idler gears 69 are held to the shaft 70 by suitable means including preferably a ring 72 and screws 73, and each of the gears is adapted to mesh with a' centrally disposed pinion 74, which, as shown,is integral with the clutch member 25 above described. The clutch member 25 is preferably bored throughout although the inner bore is of a smaller diameter and is adapted to guide a centrally disposed clutch actuating rod 77 having a threaded end 78 engaging a tube 79, the enlarged end 80 of which threadedly engages the piston 37. Near its outer end the rod 77 is provided with a pair of circumferential grooves 81 and 82 adapted to cooperate alternately with a spring pressed spherical detent 83 which is adapted to offera certain resistance to relative axial movement between the rod 77 and clutch member 25, the amount of such resistance being predetermined according to the setting of the adjusting screw 85 threadedly engaging the transversely tapped opening in the clutch element 25 in which the said detent'83 is inserted.

Novel means for controlling the introduction of pressure uid to the cylinder 15 and the automaticexhaust thereof as the piston 37 nears the end of its stroke, will now be described. In the preferred embodiment shown, such means includes a uid pressure admission conduit 87 leading from any suitable reservoir or pressure generating chamber (not shown) such as the explosion chamber of a cartridge firing gun. The conduit 87 has a suitable connection 88 with a cen- Vtrally disposed chamber 89 in the valve casing 90 threadedly engaging the centrally disposed boss 91 formed on the cylinder head 16. Mounted so as to be guided by said boss 91 is a fluted valve member 93 having an elongated stem 94 terminating in an enlarged end 95 adapted to be engaged and moved to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 by a striker disc 96 attached to the pis` ton 37 by suitable means as indicated at 97. The valve 93 further includes a conical head 99 normally tending to be held from its seat on the counter-bored lsurface provided in the l valve casing 90 by a coiled compression spring 101, the pressure ofwhich is adjustable through manipulation of an adjusting screw 102, the latter being centrally bored as indicated at 103 to permit escape of the actuating fluid to the atmosphere at the proper time as further explained hereinafter.

The means for relieving any excess operating pressure entering the cylinder preferably involves having transverse and central openings, the central opening being provided with a check valve 109 normally heldon its seat by a spring 110, the pressure of which is adjustable by the turning of an adjusting cap 111, which may be set to correspond to the desired maximum operating pressure, upon exceeding which the fluid forces the valve 109 from its seat and allows escape of the excess pressure through the transverse openings 112.

In operation, the entryA of the actuating uid into the valve chamber 89 operates to hold the valve 93 to its seat against the tendency of spring 101 and at the same time enter the cylinder 15 along the fluted surface of lthe valve, the pressure being then exerted over the entire exposed area of the piston 37 to force it to the left as viewed in Fig. 1. rotating by virtue of the provision of the splines 53, the screw action resulting from the thread Since the piston is held froml 40 of the piston hub 39 and the threads of screw shaft 42, imparts a rotary movement to the latter 77 secured thereto has been effective to urge the clutch element 25 to the left to mesh the clutch teeth 25 with-those of the engine member 26, the axial thrust being exerted upon the member 25 through the detent member 83. In the event the teeth of the -members 25,and 26 abut during this forward movement, the detent 83 is pressed outwardly away from the groove 81 and then drops in the second groove 82 as soon as the forward movement of the rod 77 permits. In the interim, the continued rotary movement of the member 25 will relieve abutting condition and detent 83 again becomes effective (this time by virtue of its engagement with groove 82) to transmit the axial thrust on the rod to the engine engaging member to complete the meshing movement.

When the completion of this meshing movement prevents further forward motion of the driving member 25, the continued` forward motion of the piston causes rod 77 to slide past the detent 83; and at the same time the application of the torque to member 25 through the gears 69 is eective to turn over the engine crankshaft to start the engine.

In this connection it will be noted that the cranking action thus exerted on the engine member 26 is a relatively rapid one due to the speed L multiplying gear above referred to. Moreover such multiplied speed is obtained from the s crew action of the piston without the necessity of employing anyunusual excessive motion multiplying devices as multiple threaded sleeves, heretofore the spring 101 is accordingly effective to maintain the valve open until -again moved to its closed yposition by the force of spring 48 acting through piston 37, sleeve 79 and enlarged end 95 of valve rod 94.

When the valve 93 has ,been opened as above decarried out with all modifications based on the I same principle, the arrangement comprisingmore than two screws, if desired. Such a starter can likewise be combined with an air compressor mounted on the same axis and driven by the motor shaft.

Likewise other changes which will now suggest themselves to those skilled in the art may be made in the form, details of construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein, and

reference is therefore to be had to the appended claims for a definition of such scope.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the class described, in combination, an axially movable rotatable driven member, an axially movable non-rotatable driving member, a second rotatable member 'intermediate said driving and driven members, means for converting the axial movement of Asaid driving member into rotary movement of said intermediate member, and means for temporarily releasing the driving connection between said driving and driven members, said means further acting to restore such driving connection after a predetermined, relatively slight degree of rotation of said driven member.

2. In a device of the class described, in cornbination, an axially movable rotatable engine-engaging member, an axially movable non-rotatable driving member, a second rotatable member intermediate said driving and engine-engaging members, means for converting the axial movement of said driving member into rotary movement of said intermediate member, means for transmitting a part of the axial movement of said driving member to said engine-engaging member, said last named means comprising a longitudinally movable member rigidly secured to said driving' member and a yieldable connection between said longitudinally movable member and said engine-engaging member, means for temporarily releasing said yieldable connection to relieve a non-registering engagement between the longitudinally movable member and engine member, and means integral with said longitudinally movable member for restoring the effectiveness of said connection after the non-registering condition has been relieved.

3. In a device of the class described, incombination .with an engine member, an axially movable rotatable driven membenan axially movable driving member, a second rotatable member intermediate said driving and driven members, means for converting the axial movement of said rdriving member into rotarymovement of said intermediate member, means for transmitting a part of the axial movement of said driving member direct to said driven member Ito cause the latter to engage said engine member, said last named means comprising a rod rigidly secured to said driving member and yieldably connected to said driven member, means for causing relative axialmovement between said driving and driven members to relieve a non-registering engagement between said driven member and the engine mem- '3 ber, and means integral with said rod for limiting the extent of said relative axial movement and thereafter causing additional axial movement of said driven member, after the non-registering condition has been relieved.

4. In a device of the class described, in com-v .member to said engine-engaging member, and

means for temporarily releasing the driving connection between said driving and engine-engaging members to relieve a non-registering engagement between the latter and the engine member.

5. In a device of the class described, in combination with an engine member, an axially movable rotatable engine-engaging member, an axially movable driving member, a second rotatable member intermediate said driving and engine-engaging members, means for converting the axial movement of said driving member into rotary movement of said intermediate member, means for transmitting a part of the axial movement of said driving member to said engine-l engaging member to cause the latter to engage said engine member, said last named means comprising a connecting member extending through said intermediate member and movable along the axis thereof, and means for -temporarily releasing the driving connection between said driving and engine-engaging members to relieve a nonregistering engagement between the latter and the engine member.

6. In a device of the class described, in combination, an axially movable rotatable engineengaging member, an axially movable driving member, means for converting the axial movement of said driving member into rotary movement of said engine engaging member, means Iincluding a yieldable connection for transmitting a part of the axial movement of said driving mem, ber to said engine-engaging member, said last named means comprising a rod extending through said gear and movable along the axis thereof, and means integral with said rod and engaging said yieldable connection to continue the axial movement of said engine engaging member after a momentary interruption thereof. r

'7. In a device of the class described, in combination, an axially movable rotatable driven member, an axially movable driving member, a second rotatable member intermediate said driving and driven members, means for converting the axial movement of said driving vmember intov 

